Automobile utility device



June 2, 1959 v c. w. BROEHL 7 AUTOMOBILE UTILITY DEVICE Filed Au 30,1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30. 1957 INVENTOR.

United States Patent )fihce 2,889,097 Patented June 2, 1959 AUTOMOBILEUTILITY DEVICE Charles W. Broehl, Maywood, Ill.

Application August 30, 1957, Serial No. 681,283

4 Claims. (Cl. 224-42.42)

This invention relates to a combination protective cover and supportingtable for use in the interior of an automobile, and including theemployment of such in the rear floor or bed area of an automobile of thestation wagon type.

It is an object of the invention to provide a utility device which willserve both toprotect and safeguard articles stored or carried on thefloor of an automobile and to make available a table or shelf surfacefor the storage of additional articles that are desired to betransported.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a protective coverfor the rear floor area of an automobile which is employable as a shelfor table surface in the automobile and which is removable for useoutside of and apart from the automobile as is so often desirable wherethe automobile is utilized as a means of transportation for camping,picnicking, and the like.

It is also a specific object of the invention to provide a utilitydevice that is adjustable for use in automobiles having rear interiorareas of varying dimensions as to width.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a utilitydevice which may be used as a combination protective cover andsupporting surface, and which when not in use is adapted to be stored inthe automobile without substantial interference with the originalinterior area of the automobile.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a protectivecover extending across the interior area of an automobile below thewindow level so as to insure against harm by reason of theft orotherwise to am ticles contained in that portion of the automobile.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the particulardetails of construction and operation of the preferred embodiment of theinvention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view from the rear of a stationwagon and depicting the utilty device embodying the invention in placefor use as a combination protective cover and supporting surface;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a portion of the stationwagon shown in Figure 1 and showing various of the supporting elementsof the device;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, elevational view, in section, directed towardthe front of the station wagon and enlarged to more clearly illustratethe engagement of various elements of the device with the station wagon;and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the utility device and showing theunder side of a portion of the utility device embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention,the numeral depicts an automobile having assembled therewith the utilitydevice to be hereinafter described.

The utility device is comprised essentially of a supporting surface 12which extends between the sides of the automobile and is supported onthe bracket assembly. An auxiliary surface 13 may be supported on eachof the bracket assemblies 11 so that together they form complementaryends to the center. surface 12 where such is desired. It should be notedthat in this description and in the claims appended hereto the wordsurface is used to denote the strong and rigid plate or sheet thatserves to provide simultaneously at either the center or sides aprotective barrier between the lower portion of the automobile andsupporting shelf or table for the holding of articles in the upperportion of the automobile. The elements herein referred to as surfacespossess, of course, both thickness and strength as well as length andwidth.

As more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bracket assembly 11 thatis used in the embodiment shown for support of the center surface 12,and the auxiliary surfaces 13 where such are used with the centersurface, is comprised of two brackets 14 on each side of the automobile.Each of the brackets 14 includes a vertical member 16, a horizontalmember 17, and a connecting member 18. The vertical member 16 issecurely and rigidly attached to the automobile body at its lower end asby bolts 19 extending through a suitably formed. flange 21 on the lowerend of the vertical member. The connecting member 18 is secured to thevertical member by bolts 22 extending through one or more of the holes23 formed in the vertical member. To enable the bracket assembly to beadjustable as to height, it is preferred that the holes 23 be somewhatclosely spaced together in series throughout the center portion of thevertical member. Horizontal member 17 is attached to the automobile bodyas by bolting a flange 24 formed on the outer end of the member to thebody. From such point of attachment, the horizontal member extendsinwardly for engagement with the connecting member 18.

Extending along the sides of the automobile and supported on thebrackets 14 is a supporting plate 26 having perpendicular end flanges 27adapted to be secured to the automobile for additional support of theplate. A supporting plate 26 is positioned on the bracket 14 with aportion of the plate extending inwardly and beyond the vertical member16 for purposes to be hereinafter described. The plate is bolted toeither or both of brackets 14 by bolts (not shown) extending through oneor more of the openings 28 provided in the plate. In many of the stationwagon models of automobiles, the lower side portions in the rear of theautomobile body are curved to provide fender wells. The bracket assemblythat has been described is adapted for more or less universalapplication to automobiles of this type by reason of the adjustabilityof its component parts thereby enabling it to be suitably modified forattachment to automobiles of various makes and models.

Where the protective and supporting auxiliary surface 13 is to be usedin the utility device, such surface is maintained on the supportingplate 26 along each side of the car, the surface projecting inwardly tothe approximate point of vertical member 16. The auxiliary surface isattached to the plate as by wood screws (not shown) extending throughholes 28 and into the underside of surface 13. As shown in Fig. 3, theplate 26 has an auxiliary supporting portion 31 which extends under thesurface 13 and a center supporting portion 32 projecting inwardly beyondthe inner edge of the auxiliary surface 13 to provide a supportingportion for the protective and supporting center surface 12.

Both the auxiliary and the center surfaces 12 and 13, respectively, arepositioned in a plane substantially parallel to the automobile floor 33and spaced therefrom to provide a protected compartment 34 whereinvarious articles being transported in the automobile may be safelystored. Both of such surfaces are formed of a strong and rigid materialwhich will serve as a protective cover for the compartment 34 and alsoas a shelf or table for the carrying of articles thereon. A materialsatisfactory for the manufacture of the surfaces 12 and 13 is acombination of a plywood base 36 having a plastic top layer 37.Protection of the edges of the surfaces may be had by utilizing aluminumor stainless steel channels 38 for this purpose.

For convenient movement of the center surface 12 as when itis beingremoved or installed, rollers 41 are provided on the underside of thecenter surface 12 adjacent to its side edges so that the rollers willrest upon the center supporting portion 32 of the plate 26. As shown inFig. 4, an aligned series of three rollers are mounted on the undersideof opposite edges of the center surface for this purpose. Also mountedon the underside of the center surface 12 are locking arms 42 secured tothe body and the center surface by means of wood screws ,43. The lockingarms are suitably formed so that when assembled they are spaced from theunderside of the center surface and adapted to extend under the centersupporting portion 32 of the plate 26. The combination of the lockingarms 42 and rollers 41 provide an arrangement whereby the portion 32 ofthe plate is confined between the locking arms and the rollers therebyholding the center surface 12 secure against vertical movement when theautomobile is in motion. To further facilitate the removal andinstallation of the surface 12, handles 44 may be affixed to theunderside of the rear edge of the center surface as by Wood screws 45.

The protective and supporting surface 12 functions while in theautomobile as a combination cover for safety compartment 34 and as ashelf or table for holding articles on top side of the surface 12. Inview, however, of the convenience of its removable end installation withrespect to the automobile, it may in many instances be used to advantageas a table outside of the automobile, such as, for example, where theautomobile has been used as a .means of transport for camping,picnicking, and the like.

For this purpose, center-threaded leg supports 46 are secured adjacentto each corner of the underside of the surface 12 as by wood screws 47.Table legs (not shown) of proper length and with suitably formed upperends may be screwed into leg supports 46 after the surface 12 has beenremoved from the automobile thus converting the surface 12 into aportable table.

The adaptability of the utility device embodying the invention isfurthered by making the horizontal dimensions of the center surface 12at least slightly less than similar dimensions of the automobile floor33. Thus, where it is desired to remove the surface 12 from its positionin assembly with brackets 14 the senter surface may be transported fiaton the floor 33 without any interference with the interior space of theautomobile although being available for immediate assembly as acombination protective and supporting surface.

As referred to in this description and in the claims appended hereto,the term automobile refers either broadly to an automotive vehicle ormore specifically to the present day model or type of automobilecommonly referred to as a station wagon. While the utility deviceembodying the invention could to some extent be used with an automobileother than a station wagon, it has particular application to and unusualadvantage with the station wagon in view of the latters open floor areabehind the rear seat bounded laterally by solid wall-like sides underthe windows and in the rear by an upwardly swinging window 51 and adownwardly swinging tail gate door 52 through which access may be had tothis area. Thus, where the utility device is used with the stationwagon, the center surface 12 makes compartment 34 available only whenthe tailgate 52 is lowered while access may be had to the interior areaabove the surface 12 by means of the upwardly swinging window 51.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it will be understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention'as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1 l. A utility device for use between the floor and window level area ofthe interior of an automobile which comprises a bracket affixed to eachside of the interior of an automobile below the window level and abovethe floor level, a rigid, strong, protective and supporting auxiliarysurface secured to each of said brackets and projecting inwardly fromthe sides of the automobile in a plane parallel to the floor, and arigid, strong, protecting and supporting center surface supported onsaid brackets and extending between said auxiliary surfaces in the sameplane hereof, each of said brackets having an auxiliary supportingportion extending at least partially beneath the auxiliary surfaceassociated therewith and a center supporting portion extending inwardlybeyond the inner edge of such auxiliary surface for engagement with andsupport of an edge of said center surface.

2. A utility device as defined in claim 1 and wherein said centersurface has on the under side of each lateral edge a roller and lockingarm, said roller projecting from the plane of the under side of saidcenter surface for contact with the upper side of the center supportingportion of each said brackets, and said locking arm being spaced fromsaid roller for extension beneath the center supporting portion of eachof said brackets.

3. A utility device as defined in claim 1 and wherein said centersurface has gripping means on its underside to facilitate movement ofthe surface horizontally and has leg supports afiixed to its undersideadjacent to each corner thereof adapted for threaded engagement with atable leg.

4. A utility device as defined in claim 1 and whereas said centersurface is of a width less than at least one lateral dimension of thefloor of an automobile to facilitate transport of the center surfacewhen it is in unas sembled relationship with the automobile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,226,434 Hirsh Dec. 24, 1940 2,602,499 Ault July 8, 1952 2,767,896 BeckOct. 23, 1956 2,797,828 Fritsche July 2, 1957

